Health :: Weight Management |
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Hoodia: Miracle Drug? |
| This article discusses the history, effectiveness and potential side effects of this chemical. |
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Hoodia refers to a genus of cactus-like, stem succulent plants (i.e., plants that store water in their fleshy stems/leaves/roots as a survival tactic for adapting to extremely dry, desert-like conditions) in the flowering plant family Apocynaceae (subfamily Asclepiadaceae). There are 13 species under the Hoodia genus. However, when one talks of Hoodia in the context of appetite suppressant or weight loss supplements, only the Hoodia gordonii species is implied. Hoodia is also known by other names like Xhoba, Ghaap, Hoodia cactus, South African desert cactus, Bushman's Hat, among others.
The Historical Background of Hoodia
Declared as a protected plant species, Hoodia grows primarily in the southern African deserts of Angola, Namibia and Botswana. The status of Hoodia as a natural appetite suppressant originated from the finding in 1937 by a Dutch anthropologist that the indigenous Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert ate the Hoodia plant to fend off hunger and thirst during long hunting expeditions.
In 1963, scientists at the CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) laboratory in South Africa found in their studies that lab animals fed with Hoodia gordonii showed significant weight loss. In 1977, a steroidal glycoside (named p57) – believed to be the active ingredient in Hoodia gordonii – was isolated from the plant and patented in 1996.
Initially, a couple of companies such as the UK-based Phytopharm, the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, and Unilever showed great interest in isolating and synthesizing p57 and other active ingredients from Hoodia gordonii extracts. Yet, as of now, no FDA-approved (Food and Drug Administration) appetite-suppressant or anti-obesity drug formulations have emerged from these scientific studies on Hoodia.
More: http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
Is Hoodia Really Effective?
Whether Hoodia really works as a safe and effective appetite suppressant has not yet been conclusively established by scientific studies and controlled trials on humans. Yet, the lack of scientific evidence or regulatory FDA approval has not discouraged a number of dietary supplement companies from marketing Hoodia gordonii extracts (in the form of pills, powder, liquid, tea, etc.) as a magical cure for obesity.
And not without success – the press coverage and aggressive marketing by nutritional supplement companies generated a huge interest in Hoodia supplements among the American population forever looking for a quick-fix solution to the problem of obesity. Especially, the TV show 60 Minutes added to all the hype and hoopla when the CBS correspondent Leslie Stahl and crew traveled all the way to Africa to try out the original Hoodia plant and reported her Hoodia experiences on the show.
She and the crew had gone Hoodia-hunting along with a local Bushman. Stahl tasted it and described it as “cucumbery in texture, but not bad.” She reported that after eating Hoodia, she lost the desire to eat or drink for the whole day. She also said she didn't experience any immediate side effects, such as indigestion or heart palpitations.
It seems that the key ingredient, p57, in Hoodia gordonii tricks the hypothalamus part of the brain into thinking that the blood glucose levels are sufficiently high, as they would be after eating. So it doesn’t transmit any hunger pang signals, and you don’t feel hungry/thirsty for long hours. So, Hoodia gordonii does appear to have some appetite-suppressant properties, but how effective and safe it is to go for the commercially available Hoodia supplements to fight obesity is still debatable. And an FDA-approved Hoodia-based anti-obesity prescription drug remains a distant dream that may take years to realize.
More: http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
What They Don’t Tell You
Many Hoodia supplements claiming to do wonders for weight loss do not tell you how much of the active appetite-suppressant ingredient, p57 is actually present in the product. In fact, many products may contain very little p57, which is found only in the gordonii species, a protected species. According to a CBS report, the UK company Phytopharm, which holds the license to p57, has claimed that Hoodia supplements available in the market contain only 0.1–0.01% of the declared amount of p57. Some brands recommended by an independent investigator Mike Adams of the website NewsTarget.com are: Desert Burn, Hoodoba from Strictly Health Corp., and the Hoodia Hoodia from Millennium Health. So, be careful when buying Hoodia supplements.
More: http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
Any Side Effects or Dangers?
Hoodia gordonii is touted as a natural appetite suppressant having no known side effects, mainly on the basis that the African Bushmen have been using it for thousands of years to fend off hunger. But no systematic studies have been conducted on the general population, and what is valid for the Bushmen may not be valid for others.
Think of an African bushman, with his lean muscular frame and without any obesity-associated diseases like diabetes, hypertension, etc., who resorts to Hoodia to temporarily ward off hunger/thirst. And then think of an unhealthy obese person trying to lose weight with Hoodia pills – he/she in all probability is already on many other drugs, too, for hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, arthritis, etc. – one doesn’t know what kind of interaction all these may have with Hoodia. The two cases are very different.
Since Hoodia works by tricking the brain into believing that blood sugar levels are not low even when they are, diabetics may get into trouble. So caution is advised. Since Hoodia suppresses thirst, too, dehydration can reach dangerous levels if you follow the dictates of your body and drink water only when you feel thirsty.
More: http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
Is It For Me?
Well, the ultimate decision is yours whether you want to take the risk (however small) by going for a diet supplement that does not have FDA approval and enough scientific evidence to back it. It is better to take the advise of your doctor before jumping into the Hoodia bandwagon.
Still better is to take up a regular aerobic activity like walking, swimming, dancing and follow a balanced diet consisting of slow (i.e., low glycemic index) carbohydrates, whole grains and cereals, healthy mono-unsaturated fats instead of animal fats, plenty of fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans instead of meats, and 2–3 liters of water. This way, you will lose weight in a more healthy way and forever.
More: http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
About the author: Lynn Veach is the President of LV Enterprises, a holding company for an Internet business providing information on a variety of topics. For additional advice, tips and suggestions about losing weight and becoming more active, visit http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
© 2007 LV Enterprises, LLC All Rights Reserved
About the author: Lynn Veach is the President of LV Enterprises, a holding company for an Internet business providing information on a variety of topics. For additional advice, tips and suggestions about losing weight and becoming more active, visit http://www.angrysummit.com/hoodia/
© LV Enterprises, LLC All Rights Reserved
Article Source: www.activehowto.com
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Posted 2007-02-13 05:41:51 By Lynn Veach
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